New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.

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  1. Bros3ph
    Posts : 25
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit 19045 Multiprocessor Free - 22H2
       New #1

    New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.


    Hi, I made a thread similar to this a week or so ago.

    I just got a new HDD. It randomly disappears from my Quick Access and becomes completely inaccessible on a whim. I assigned it as 'Z:'. When the problem occurs, my drive just stops working and loses the letter. I can immediately fix this issue by going into Disk Management and changing the drive letter back to 'Z:'. My files come back and everything works as usual. This has only happened 3-5 times over the past week or so.

    I bought new SATA cables after it happened the first couple of times - no dice, as it just happened again for the first time since I got them a few days ago.

    I've scanned my hard drive with a few softwares that say it's in good health.

    I'm just wondering if there's anything else it could be other than a hardware problem? I'm about to return/replace it if I can't figure out the problem.
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  3. dalchina
    Posts : 43,114
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    Hi, as you didn't post the link to the other thread... I've found it for you.
    (Click your name under your post - View Forum Posts)
    New HDD disappearing periodically/randomly.

    This refers to a 8Tb drive.

    In that thread you refer to using Crystal Diskinfo.

    Please try Hard Disk Sentinel (full functional trial, portable version available) as this also automatically does a data transfer check (and can report on possible cabling/connection/interface issues).

    Post a screenshot thus (upload using forum features, not imgur please):
    New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.-screenshot-.png

    It seems unlikely it would be the new cables or disk though.

    ========================
    Alas, no specs for your PC. Please complete these - tutorial available.
    Click My Computers iunder my post for an example.

    How old is the MBO?

    Is there any chance you have inserted another drive to which you have assigned 'Z' ?
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  4. jumanji
    Posts : 11,628
    Windows11 Home 64bit v:23H2 b:22631.3374
       New #3

    dalchina said:
    ............Alas, no specs for your PC. Please complete these - tutorial available.
    Click My Computers iunder my post for an example.

    How old is the MBO?.......
    @Bros3ph

    System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums

    Also see Collecting System Specifications in Windows

    These two will help you to fill in your system specifications. Help us to help you better !!
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  6. Bros3ph
    Posts : 25
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit 19045 Multiprocessor Free - 22H2
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Hi, thanks for the quick reply! I updated my PC specs.

    The entire PC & MBO is only 2-3 years old at most.

    I'm not sure which test to run on Hard Disk Sentinel. I downloaded the Pro trial and I'm still limited on some of the things I can do or scan.

    I ran a short self-test via Disk -> Short Self-Test and it just says my hard disk status is perfect - no spin up or data transfer errors. I've attached a picture of some results - let me know if there are other tests you want me to do.New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.-hdsentinel_hds7jc08eh.png
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  7. dalchina
    Posts : 43,114
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #5

    Simply run it.

    Look at the GUI.

    Make sure you use the tabs on the left to review each disk. Like this:
    New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.-1.jpg

    Please comment on
    Is there any chance you have inserted another drive to which you have assigned 'Z' ?
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  8. Bros3ph
    Posts : 25
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit 19045 Multiprocessor Free - 22H2
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    No, I haven't assigned another drive to 'Z'. I just have C, Q and then the Z that keeps malfunctioning.New HDD disappears and Drive Letter becomes unassigned.-hdsentinel_73a426kb2v.png
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  9. pepanee
    Posts : 2,953
    Windows 10 Pro for the Bro
       New #7

    Try assigning it a different letter for a few days, and see if it does the same thing.
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  10. jumanji
    Posts : 11,628
    Windows11 Home 64bit v:23H2 b:22631.3374
       New #8

    That is a good suggestion by pepanee. I would rather prefer that you pull out the Seagate Barracuda 2TB(that is Q: now ?) and plugin the Seagate Barracuda 8TB in that slot. Plugin the Seagate Barracuda 2TB in the slot vacated by the 8TB Barracuda. Check and report how both the HDDs behave. ( We know that it is going to affect your regular schedule but for troubleshooting we have to do this swap) @dalchina Any other ideas?
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  12. dalchina
    Posts : 43,114
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #9

    Process of elimination.. @jumanji - note from specs this is an Optane system... (which should have nothing to do with this issue of course).

    Nothing to do with Automount being disabled either..

    Seagate-ST8000DM004
    Seagate BarraCuda 8 TB Internal Hard Drive Performance HDD – 3.5 Inch SATA 6 Gb/s 5400 RPM 256 MB Cache for Computer Desktop PC Laptop, Data Recovery (ST8000DM004)
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  13. jumanji
    Posts : 11,628
    Windows11 Home 64bit v:23H2 b:22631.3374
       New #10

    Yep, I noticed Optane in the OP's system. I also feel It has nothing to do with this problem.
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